GHETTO DREAMZ-A BIOPIC OF DAGRIN (THE C.E.O)

The Nigerian Movie industry is witnessing the entrance of new and independent production companies offering fresh and innovative ideas, one of them being STINGOMANIA. The following is the extract from our interview with the C.E.O Ope Banwo who is an astute business man, innovator and a lover of all things good. We do hope you enjoy and get inspiration from reading this interview.

STOMP: May we meet you?

OPE BANWO: I graduated in law at the University of Ife in 1985, was called to Nigerian Bar in 1986 and completed my Masters in Law program from the University of Lagos in 1988. I worked for Arthur Andersen and Co for a few years before moving into International Funding Group, Plc as the first CEO.

I started my own finance company in 1992 and eventually relocated to the USA IN 1995. In the USA I started several companies of my own including the Specialty Personnel Services and Banwo Law office, now Banwo and Igbokwe, Attorneys-at-law. I relocated back to Nigeria in 2009 to start the Nigerian arm of my law firm, BANWO AND IGBOKWE and the Stingomania group of companies as Chairman/CEO. Prior to coming back in 2009, I was posted from the U.S to set the entertainment arm of the rccg church, DOVE MEDIA as the pioneer CEO. I ran Dove Media from 2005-2006 before moving back to the USA.

STOMP: What is/are the meaning of Stingomania and what does she stand for?

OPE BANWO: Stingomania is actually a love story. My wife, Olunike Ajoke, used to be very skinny when we were dating and her nickname was ‘stingo’ and because I was really crazy about her, some of my friends used to call me ‘Stingomania’ and at some point when I wanted to open a supermarket for her in 1994, I called it STINGOMANIA SUPERMART. When I relocated back to Nigeria in 2009, I decided to resurrect the name as the flagship of my entertainment initiatives. The name has been very good for me and it always makes me remember my wife, even when she is not here with me.

STOMP: What Project(s) is Stingomania involved in right now?

OPE BANWO: Stingomania is involved in several projects at any point in time. Right now as we speak we are involved in a movie project called GHETTO DREAMZ (A biopic on the late Dagrin). We are also involved with promoting a music video production reality show titled MVP CAMP.

STOMP: Why a DaGrin Movie, why not a documentary?

OPE BANWO: Well, Dagrin phenomenon can be approached from many different angles. We just chose to do something really different and rare by doing a biopic on him. You will agree that there are not many movies made in Nigeria that celebrates the lives of our heroes or superstars, whether living or dead. Documentaries are done all the time but very few have dared to dabble into the biopic arena. I love the challenge of doing it and also blazing a new trail in a fresh genre. I intend to singlehandedly develop the music-drama biopic genre by doing 4 different projects this year that will be biopics about celebrated musicians and entertainers in Nigeria.

STOMP: What impact do you think this movie will have on our society esp. The youths (DaGrin’s fans)?

TRYBSON DUDUKOKO (STAR OF GHETTO DREAMZ) AS DAGRIN

 

OPE BANWO: Well, I believe the movie will encourage a lot of youths who would love to see the Dagrin legacy live on. A movie basically immortalizes the individual. Also, the movie focus on the problems our talented youths go through just to actualize their creative potentials. The movie will make some serious social commentaries on the way how traffic system is run, how our artistes are being managed and also on our health system. These are all topics that interest our youths.

STOMP: What is the Budget of the movie?

OPE BANWO: We started with a budget of N14million but we have had some budgetary overruns and will probably finish the movie in the range of N16million. For instance, You know we had to recreate the whole accident scene and had to buy the exact accident car from the scrap sellers in owode onirin at a very expensive price.

STOMP: Who are the key people involved in this production effort?

OPE BANWO: The Director is Daniel Ademinokan, one of the hottest directors in nollywood right now. Kunle Abiola-Ige is the Production Manager while Yemi Awoponle is the DOP. We also have some great actors and actresses on the set such as Doris Simeon, Rachael Oniga, Pa Kasumu and Trybson Dudukoko (as Dagrin)

STOMP: When did production start and when will it end?

OPE BANWO: The production started on the 9th of February and we expect to conclude it by the 6 of march. That’s about 27 days of active shooting.

STOMP: Is the Movie Premiering in theaters or going straight onto DVDs?

OPE BANWO: The movie will premiere in several theaters both at home and abroad before it goes into DVD OR VCD. We are hoping to screen the movie in several movie festivals across the world over the next one year.

STOMP: What Obstacles have you encountered so far with this production effort?

OPE BANWO: There have been several but God has been good to us to provide solutions. The most challenging was the over 8 month delay we experienced from the script writer who took money and did not deliver for more than 7 months. We also had some challenges on location where the police arrested some of our crew members while shooting at night over a misunderstanding about permits and police escorts.

OPE BANWO C.E.O STINGOMANIA

STOMP: What are the breakthroughs you’ve experienced with this project?

OPE BANWO: The miracle of being able to go so far with the project in spite of all the obstacles. The incredible acting skills of the new comer TRYBSON DUDUKOKO who played Dagrin. We were all worried that he may not be able to deliver as expected but he surprised all of us. Also, to be able to get Daniel Ademinokan to direct the movie on short notice after the deal with Lancelot fell apart are major breakthroughs. We are all also very excited about being able to acquire the car that Dagrin had the accident with as part of the prop for the filming.

STOMP: What do you think is the impact of Hip-hop on the Nigerian society and her youth?

OPE BANWO: Well, whether we like it or not, Hip-hop is the in-thing now for our youths and the elders just have to deal with it. At one point it was pop, then reggae and now it is hip-hop. Hip-hop influences the thinking, the dressing and the creative expression of most of today’s youths in entertainment. Rather than us condemning the bad sides of hip-hop, I think we should be thinking more positively on how to harness the potential of the genre to make our society better. Hip-hop youths can be mobilized for great works and public service if properly engaged by government.

STOMP: What life lessons are available to our youths on the life of DaGrin and this movie?

OPE BANWO: There are many life lessons that our youths can learn from the life of Dagrin. We learn a lot about how to deal with rejection as an artiste, how to work hard even when things don’t look very good. We also learn a lot of useful cautionary lessons that will be exposed in the movie

STOMP: What’s your take on the Nigerian Movie Industry aka Nollywood?

OPE BANWO: I think Nollywood is taking giant strides in spite of the criticisms from its critics. Considering the limited resources that most of the practitioners had to work with, I will say most of them are doing awesome jobs. I don’t worry about the quality of some of the movies like most people. Like in every industry, including Hollywood and Bollywood, you will find great movies, good movies and terrible movies. Nothing is unique here.

I also think Nollywood is going to surprise many people this year. With the improvements in technology and affordability of HD equipments to our people, it is just a matter of time before some of our people storm the world stage in terms of internationally recognized and distributed movies. I will predict for people to watch out for BLACK GOLD by Jeta Amata this year and of course GHETTO DREAMZ to open the eyes of the international community.

STOMP: Don’t you think theres still a lot of room for improvements?

OPE BANWO: Of course, I accept we still have a lot to do and a long way to go. I know we need to improve our distribution system and improve our copyright administration to join the respectable international community but we are on our way. It is only a matter of time.

STOMP: A lot of people think DaGrin’s was a wasted life given his short reign on stardom, the way he lived and died what do you think?

OPE BANWO: Those who are saying he lived a wasted life are really ignorant. He singlehandedly energized a music genre – Yoruba rap. He became a rallying point for struggling artistes all over Nigeria. His death captured the imagination of the whole country and compels people like me to make a biopic on him and you tell me he lived a wasted life? It is not how long but how much impact you leave behind. One thing is sure; a lot of people got mesmerized with his lyrics and artistic wizardry after he died. Many youths are inspired to take up the Yoruba rap genre because of his works. I will say Dagrin actually left more impact than millions who lived very long and died quietly without anyone to remember them by anything. He may have died young but what he represents lives on.

STOMP: How would you describe your job as a producer and the sequence of the production process?

OPE BANWO: A producer’s job is to assemble all the ingredients required to make a movie including the financing, the cast, the crew, the equipments and the location and then hand over to Director to make the movie. To me a producer’s job is mostly administrative and visionary. I have enjoyed every minute of it because though I have funded more than 20 movies as Executive Director, this is the first time I am actually producing the movie myself. It is an interesting experience. I actually hope to produce 3 more movies this year – all of them musical biopics of living people this time.

STOMP: At what point are you done with this project?

OPE BANWO: The production work will be completed in early march and the post production will take a month. After that we go into premiere mode and Screening. After that we go on tour of festivals all over the world. I can’t even project when I will be done with this project. It will take at least 2 years before I can slow down on the project. It is in phases and we are just completing phase one after the production. A good movie should not just be produced and released on CD and then forgotten. We intend to follow GHETTO DREAMZ through all the phases of movie marketing and distribution.

USA FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS and FOREIGN FILMAKERS VISIT LOCATION

STOMP: Do you think movie producers get enough recognition and respect?

OPE BANWO: Respect is earned and not given to anybody. Our producers will get recognition and respect when they do projects and works that command respect and recognition. We are getting there. It is just a matter of time, we will get there. Some of our producers like Jeta Amata and Kunle Afolayan are already getting serious international respect and recognition.

WATCH OUT FOR MORE INTERVIEWS WITH FAMOUS PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT MATTER IN SHAPING OUR SOCIETY. PEACE!!!!